in the corruption which they sucked of Adam And like as a good horsemā gouerneth in déede all his horses but yet such of thē as haue sounde lims be lusty geldings he maketh to goe liuely and with an easie pace other that be lame ill liking goe vnder him halting and ill fauoredly when he spurreth them forwarde not through the faulte of the horseman but through the lamenesse of the iade which lamenesse notwithstanding could not be perceiued without this spurring forwarde of the horseman euen so God who hath the guiding of vs and can bridle vs and order vs as it pleaseth him vseth to deals with all men that can moue themselues forward whē they are spurned no dout as euery man is so he maketh him to go either soundly if he be regenerate or lamely if he remaine in his corruption Héereof it commeth that God is saide in the seriptures to strike wicked men blinde to harden their heartes to seduce the prophets and send men the spirite of error that they may beléeue lies and so forthe Vpon this occasion it is likewise that tyrantes and notorious euill men be called the Lordes scourges axes hammers and swordes Gods goodnesse therefore his iudgements in all places we acknowledge haue in reuerence yea althoughe we be not able to giue a reason of them Contrarywise the instruments themselues which be euil and their péeuish vngracious doings we condemne I meane the treacherie and wilynesse of Sathan the mercilesnesse of Manlius the enuie and malice of Iosephs brethren the wickednesse and hardnesse of Pharaos hart the rebellious minde and the detestable inceit of Absolon king Dauids adulterie and vaine glorious numbring of his people the rayling and scolding of Semeis the rancor and treason of Dauids ennimies the wicked Apostasie of Ieroboam and the .x. tribes the rauening of y Chaldeans the vnsatiable auarice of the Babilonians their impotent rage and their vntollerable vaūting of themselues the woode fury of the Iewes and Pharisies against Christe Finally we altogither misselike the diuellishe conspiracies and beastly crueltie of all the ennimies of Gods church Whereof we confesse vndoubtedly with S Austine and Eulgentius that God in déede was the very orderer and disposer in as much as he vsed their corruptions as he thoughte best for his glory but in no wise the proper woorker that infused or poured into them suche noughtinesse For that they did euill as the same Austine telleth vs very well it came of themselues But that in sinning against God their noughtinesse shoulde doe this or that it was not in their power but in the power of god Who diuided their darckenesse and dispearsed it in suche order that of this also that they did expressely againste hys will there was nothing brought to passe but his will. That then whiche nowe we haue already spoken touching the cause of sinne we sée it so manifest and plaine a matter that it néedeth not to bée discoursed vppon with any longer processe For I woulde gladly demaunde of the aduersarie what of all thys can bée disproued Will he say that gracelesse men be so priuileaged that there is no God to master them and to kéepe them vnder Let him tell me then why they should haue y prerogatiue Or if he graūt vnto me that GOD maistreth them will he say they are not Gods instruments that serue in the execution of his wil Let him say then how God can be a master towards them which serue him not to any purpose Or if this poysoned infection this venime of cursed malice that lieth lurcking loytering in the bosome of euery lorell be stirred vp by the hand of God as it were the fulsome humor of a carion that is drawne vp by the sunne beames shall we say then that God is defiled with it It were more than abhominable to thincke it to say it open and flatte blasphemie to stande to it damnable apostasie For contrarywise it is so farre off that whereas thrée things concurre in euery euill action asi utia suadentis as S. Augustine sayeth nequitia volentis iustitia punientis the subtilitie of the deuill persuading the péeuishnesse of the man that is willing and the iust vengeance of God punishing and forsaking God only doubtlesse is frée from blame as doing nothing that swarueth from iustice the rest are stained shamefully with all iniquitie They of kinde malice minde nothing but to followe their corrupte desires God of his natiue goodnesse the creator of all things that haue natural existence so measureth al things with iust reckening and euen waightes that those things also whiche were no sinnes no were they not directly against nature may be so iudged and ordered that they trouble not natures vniuersall course Therefore the very doings of naughtie men as they be instrumentes directed by the hand of God to that ende which they little thincke of in nature and substance be Gods good workes on the other side as they be set forwarde by sathans egging and depraued by the corruption of mannes ill will there loe by their deformitie they are espyed to be hatched in the deuils nest Nowe howe this mighte agrée and hang togither that the ▪ same worke should be bothe euill good of the diuers fountaines that it springeth off the diuers endes and markes wherevnto it tendeth and shooteth forwarde if it can not be so well perceiued Anselmus in his booke de casu diaboli so farre foorthe as it toucheth God séemeth by an apte similitude very pretily to open it and set it out saying that like as we are not afrayde to confesse that that is a creature of Gods making which is begotten notwithstanding by mans leudely disposed will for we say God is the creature of that infante which is borne in whordome and adulterie so in some maner of respectes he seeth no cause why we shoulde make daunger to say God had to doo with that worke which neuerthelesse hathe his beginning of an euyll affected disposition To make the matter more playne I pray you was not Gods deliuering of his sonne Chryst to the Iewes by the hand of Iudas as his instrument a good déede it was so questionlesse for it was doone for the saluation of the faythfull Yet it was not good as it came of Iudas who partely carryed away with hatred partely blinded with auarice betrayed his maister After the same maner it may be sayd of the hangman that executeth a fellon at the commaundemente of the Magistrate The dooing whereof may haue two originalles eyther the magistrate whose instrument the hangman is and so this execution of the fellon is good or else the hangman that doeth that which he is about with an inwarde mouing of his owne wherby he also is the cause of the felons death whom he executeth If the hangman therfore put this felone to death for the better maintenance of iustice the execution is good and deserueth commendation but if he
To whom quoth they making answer out of Chanaan for soothe to buy necessaries to preserue our life All this while being knowen to Iosephe they knewe him neuer a whit againe Ioseph beholding them with stedfast eyes and remeÌ„bring wel his olde dreames whereof he now séeth the effect to the inteÌ„t he might come to the knowledge of such things as he desired to heare of beginneth to lay heinously to their charge saying he knew well inoughe they were but spies come purposely to view the weakenesse of the land therby the better to take occasioÌ„ to breake in afterwards w their armies to subdue the realme Héereupon making great protestation that there was no such thing ment of their behalfe that they were his seruauntes ready at commaundement al of them the sonnes of one man men of peace so forth at the length after many other wordes enterpartened betwixt them to and fro they fel into the mention of their yongest brother Whom after that with much entreating they had broughte backe with them from their fathers house for so Iosephe straitly enioyned them vtterly discouraging them otherwise from comming any more in his sight he I say this said tender hearted Iosephe that was enflamed with a déere affection séeing all his brethren before his face wheÌ„ he had dissembled the mater a long time could now no longer forbear but fréely and frankly disclosed himself to them what he was And betwixte teares and great ioye sodenly breaking oute into a loude voice Bée yée not dismaide sayeth hée my deare brethren nor lette it séeme ouer rigorous and hard dealing to you that yâ— solde me for money into this countrey For assure your selues it was for your safegarde that God sent me hither into this place Hitherto for the space of these two yéeres passed there hath bene in the world a great dearth and nowe there be fiue moe behinde wherein neyther the grounde shal be tilled nor corne reaped Therfore God sent me before you both to preserue your posteritie to saue you from a very great daunger that was towardes you It was not you then that sent me hither but it was god Good Lorde howe flatly and euidently dothe he vtter and signifie his good nature How comfortably speaketh he to his pore brethreÌ„ who thought they had deserued no suche thing Héere all Lordlinesse is set a side no mention at all of any quarell But so far off he is from accusing them that he séemeth rather to take their part It was not you saith he that sent me hither but it was god As who shuld say it was not my déere brethren your deuise and conueiaunce that brought me to this place It was not I say your doing but Gods working Therfore be ye not gréeued w the remembrance of my former boÌ„dage which was guided by God to so good an ende Plucke vp your hearts againe and set feare aside Gently in déede spoken and like a brother But what is this that he sayeth you sent me not hither For truely it is worthy to be examined Did not Iosephes brethren procure his comming vnto Egipt No surely saithe he for that they dealed so cruelly vnkindly with me pricked forwarde with the sting of enuie it was their fault but that in their great rage of malice I shuld come hither rather thaÌ„ to an other place it was fully and wholely the worke of God who secretely vsing them as his instruments by his owne only direction brought it to passe They in déede of their partes did that which is euill but God of their euill hath wrought that which is good They sent me away but God hath set me in the right way They were the occasion that I was made a seruauÌ„t but god was the cause y I am become a lord Truely euen héere to stay and to ease our selues as who sayeth in oure Inne after a long and painfull iourney Howe plainly dothe this history set out vnto vs the very nature and propertie of Gods Prouidence wherin we sée Ioseph both alow and aloft both seruing like a bondman and raigning like a Prince One while oppressed iniuriouslye an other while aduaÌ„ced iustly beaten as it wer blacke and blew with blustering whirle windes driuen into vnknowne coastes with the rage of outragious teÌ„pests but ariuing yet at the last at a peaceable and quiet hauen Such a guide had he to conduct him euen amongst the harde huge rocks that his ship in no wise could miscary such an anker had he to flie to wheÌ„ he stoode in moste daunger of sturdie stormes that no menacing waues could ouerwhelme him The Conclusion of this first booke ANd shall we not nowe thincke that this God is a gouernor whome Ioseph fouÌ„d such a fatherly protector whome Abrahams seruaunt had such a gracious conductor whom Moses in the middest of the riuer past all hope tryed to be a deliuerer vnder the shadowe of whose wings the prophet Dauid so safely rested vnder the banner of whose defence al godly men of all ages haue bene preserued For why shuld I in such store of examples out of scripture not necessary neither at this time more largely pleÌ„tifully to be rehersed bring in Oedipus Iocasta Iulins Caesar or any such to proue that to vs christians which Gods word so euidently preacheth nature teacheth reason ratifieth long triall confirmeth the godly and vngodly acknowledgeth all heauen earth confesseth Dull and doltish might we thinke our selues if beset with suche testimonies we conceaued it not harde hearter if we conceaued it and beléeued it not vnkinde if we beléeued it and refused to commit oure selues into the handes of oure gracious God if wée mistrusted his almightie power or doubted in any wise to depende of his goodnesse From the which so gréeuous a trespasse and so odious and deâ—estable an offence that we may shew our selues earnestly to abhorre let vs haue that swéete song of that propheticall godly Prince bothe ready alwayes in our mouthe and déepely rooted in our hearts God is our hope and strengâ—h a very present helpe in trouble Therefore vvill vvee not feare though the earth be moued and though the hilles be caried into the midste of the sea thoughe the vvaâ—ers thereof rage and svvell and though the mountaines shake at the tempest of the same The seconde booke of Gods Prouidence The first Chapter No token of Gods Prouidence towards vs can moue vs to be thankfull but still we be carping and cauilling HItherto haue bâ—n brought sucâ—e profes touching Gods Prouidence ouer y world as I haue thoughte good to be alleaged for the staying and satisfying of a féeble conscience Which albeit they be so apparant that euen in common sense they be founde agreable to the truthe yet greatly doubtlesse it is to be pitied and to be lamented as you would say with bloudy teares that we neither comprehende by our vnderstanding howe great guyftes and benefites we enioy at Gods handes nor shew any token of
is the more hainous that they say we are not content to kéepe vs only at that stay but that we prease forward boldly withoute blushing making God the author of all the corruption and deformitie that is in any mannes naughty doings Which saying of theirs if it coulde be proued true then all that we haue well saide before were quite disgraced For what greater blasphemy can be deuised than to make him author of our euil froÌ„ whome as from a most cléere pretious fountaine is deriued and fetched all our goodnesse what more swaruing from all reason than that he which shuld be reueÌ„ger of all innocents the only executor of iustice vpon the face of the whole earth should be found himself to do wroÌ„g But the more gréeuous the offence is that we are burdened with the more outragious the enormitie is to be accounted that is laid vnto vs the more substaÌ„cially shuld they proue their pretended quarell Goe to then let them orderly opeÌ„ and declare vnto vs who euer that professed the gospel brinced such poysoned doctrine to the flock and congregation of the faithfull people Yes saith Staphylus Nicolaus Gallus wryteth that Melanchthon affirmeth in his notes vpon Paules Epistle to the Romanes that as well these workes which be stark naught be wrought in vs by god as the adultery of Dauid the crueltie of Manlius such like as also these works which be indifferent and betwixt bothe eating drinking and like things appertaining to the necessitie of thys present life Sayeth Melanchthon so Why be not his owne wordes rehearsed in suche order and manner as he wrote them Forsoothe there is a good cause whie for then no doubt he should bewray him selfe to be the very same man that he is in déede a péeuishe counterfaiter and a forger But Nicolaus Gallus dothe wryte so of Melanchthon A pretie matter in dede that when men be bent maliciously to coine slaunderous fables they muste be fathered vpon suche as Nicolaus Gallus For this I must néedes tell them lette them deale as colourably as they list it is a shame for any man to belie the deuill Sure I am Melanchthon wryteth no suche thing nor none other that professeth as he dothe but rather the flatte contrary Mary if they be disposed to cauil with vs for this that we make god a punisher of transgressors I cannot well skill of such dealing For what kinde of punishment doe we attribute vnto God which same the scriptures do not expresse Say we that God taketh vengeance vppon them that haue him in contempt by deliuering them vp vnto a leude minde They be the very wordes of S. Paule in his first chapiter to the Romaines Or affirme we that he sendeth strong illusions whereby suche as will not embrace the loue of gods euerlasting truth are brought to beléeue lies and vanities S. Paule also sayeth the same in his second chapiter of his second Epistle to the Thessalonians Or is oure manner of speache to say that God sendeth euill spirites with a commauÌ„dement and power giuen them to do harme We speake it not without the warrant of Gods word reade who so list 1. Reg. 22. and. 2. Paral. 28. also Iob in the first second chapiter Or doth this séeme so strange vnto them that it is sayd God hardeneth the harts or blindeth the eyes of the wicked or that he maketh them druncke with the wine of giddinesse These in déede be the phrases of the holy Ghost we deny not vttered Exodus 4. 7. 9. 10. 11. 14 Deuter. 2. Iosue 11. and the first booke of Samuell the seconde chapter Paral. 22. and the seconde booke and Psal. 105. Or finally is this oure doctrine that there is no euill done in all the worlde that the hande of God doth not direct The prophet Amos semeth to speke yet more hardly whiles he asketh this question in the thirde chapiter of his prophesie VVhether there be any euil in the citie vvhich the Lord hath not caused And God himselfe in the prophet Esay wheÌ„ he had promised that he would make king Cyrus to come from the East to ransacke the citie of Babilon to subdue many nations demaundeth who it is that hath broughte these things to passe whereunto making answere againe I the Lorde sayth he the first and the laste I am he But roughlier yet as it seemeth in the fiue and fortie chapter of the same prophesie where he professeth that he is the Lord and that there is no moe but he raming light and causing darckenesse making peace and creating euill But neither the place of Amos nor this of the prophet Esay we vnderstaÌ„d or construe any otherwise than we are taughte by the consent of the learned fathers Therefore we say with Basile Creat Deus mala hoc est transmutat ipsa in meliorem statum exitumque deducit vt iâ—m mala esse desinant bonique naturam accipiant To be Englished thus God createth euill things that is to say he traÌ„sformeth them and bringeth them to better state and conclusion to wit than they were done for so that those things which be euill of themselues cease now to be euill as God vseth them and take vpoÌ„ them the nature of that that is good The reason also that is giuen by Clemens Alexandrinus in his seuenthe booke of Couerturs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why God by no meanes is the author or cause of euill séemeth to tende to the same ende For by him sayeth he that is Lord of all all things be ordered and ordained bothe vniuersally and particularly for the safety of the vvhole state Soone after the saide Basil vnderstandeth this word euil in an other sense as if it shuld signifie warres plages dearths withall such kinde of afflictions as may happen in this mortall life euill in dede to them that suffer theÌ„ but in respecte of God who iustly scourgeth when he sendeth theÌ„ nothing lesse Bréefely if we speake of oure euill works themselues I say they are to be considered after two sortes as they haue euill qualities imperfections in them whereby they are properly called euill and so they cannot directly be ascribed to God and againe as they be brought out and wrought in nature and so it is euident that they can not be done without god For this not only the diuines but the philosophers also teach that God being a pure forme that is alwayes doing and sequestred from all concretion of any matter he moueth all things continually and suffereth nothing to be idle But as I sayde before he moueth euery thing according to euery things nature one way things the be liuelesse an other way things that beare life and of things that beare life not all of them after one sort neither but otherwise he moueth brute creatures otherwise suche creatures as be reasonable of such as be indued with reason otherwise good men whose nature is reformed by gods spirit otherwise euill men that be lefte
But let him not deceaue you For if you will but viewe his life and conuersation you shall sée he fareth much like a trée which Alexanders souldiers founde in India a mightie trée in dede to loke to very faire and of a goodly heighte Whiche nathelesse when they beheld with much wondering and woulds néedes bring it away with theim they founde that what so euer was at the roote of it was forthwith tourned into baye salte Wilt thou sée now how like the case is Thou séest this worldling very highe and mightie in his owne conceate fayre mouthed well visaged And thou wonderest at him But he is rotten at the roote if thou wel examine him he is hollowe he is altogether as bitter as baye salte Therfore he rangeth loosly as one that had neuer a bridle imagining secretly with himself that there is no god to controlle him or kéepe him vnder The .iiij. Chapter As there is a God that created the vvorld So there is a God that doethe gouerne it BVt that this is an erronious doctrine of them that teache so and a godlesse and senselesse imagination of them that thincke so in their hartes to the intent I maye open it and make it plaine I will begin with that as my fouÌ„dation which is the chiefe principle and groundewoorcke of all religions And firste I woulde demaunde this question of them whether they beleue that there is anye God For he that vvill come to God sayeth the Epistle to the Hebrewes firste muste beleue that God is and that he is a revvarder of them that seke him Which were it not well setled and depely fixed in our mindes all truthe godlinesse deuotion should be vtterly trodeÌ„ vnder the féete What say they then to the matier If they deny it I might proue it vnto them by the same reason that Dionysius vseth to Apollophanes who wheÌ„ he was willed of Polycarpe that he would wryte somewhat vnto him whereby the said Apollophanes might be conuerted vnto the faith by his own Principles being couÌ„ted excellent in Astronomie Dionisius wryting to the blessed Martyr dothe frame vnto him this argument in forme folowing Séeing the order saith hée wherby the bodies aboue moue is according to a certaine rule If that order by any should be altered it were manifest that the same so altering it shoulde be god But the ordinarie course of the celestiall bodies was once chaunged and inuerted as Apollophanes hym selfe coulde tell Ergo it was his part to haue concluded said Dionysius folowing the groundes and the Principles of his own Philosophie that the cause of that alteration was the true God ruling in the heauens And therefore consequently abandoning his Maumetrie and his foolishe Idols that he should only woorship suche a god That the ordinarie mouing of the bodies aboue had bene chaunged he maketh it euident by thrée examples First by this that we read in the tenthe of Iosue that the Sunne cleane contrary to his custome stoode still for the space of a whole day and went neither backewarde nor forwarde vntill the enimies of Gods people were put to flight Secondly he proueth to him the same conclusion by the mounting vp of the Sunne appearing in Achams diall And this was so great a miracle that it made the Babilonians to be astonied meÌ„ that diligently obserued all the courses and mouings of the supernall bodyes By meanes wherof without any field foughten or weapon drawne they yéelded to Ezechias of their owne accord Wherevpon the Priestes of the Persians noting that day made afterwardes an annual feast which they called the feast of the tripled Sunne And the Priests that celebrated that day hauing their name of the feast were termed the Priestes of the tripled Sâ—nne But bicause Apollophanes myghte chaunce to deny this example albeit he had séene before his face the very testimonie of the Priestes against him therfore Dionysius wryteth to Polycarpe that if he happen so gaâ—nsay these aforenamed demonstrations he shoulde put him in minde of the thirde to witte of the Eclipse that befell at the time of Christes passion which being contrary to all course of nature he sawe notwithstanding with his owne eyes and could not in any wise say against it What caÌ„ Atheistes or Epicures bring into contrary this reason Which as it notably setteth before vs the diuine power and maiestie of almightie God So doeth it well disproue their fonde error that woulde tie God to the necessitie of seconde causes saying that he can rule none otherwise but as destinie draweth him to and froe For if so excellent a creature as the Sunne so muche swarâ—ed and declined from his woonted course that Goddes will and pleasure myghte with due submission be obeyed shall the aspecte of any inferioure â—arre or the influeâ—re of any planets make vs feare And where is that fatall faste lincked chaine that so brideleth and restraigneth the liuing God Which if it be of suche force and efficacy as the Stoikeâ— dreame Then hys scepter wrested oute of hys handes must be left to the arbitrement of his creatures yea Protagoras with his complices might face vs down there were no God. But howe blinde an assertion that is for I will not say nowe howe blasphemous although we might iustly some to haue made alredy a sufficient proofe yet hardly let vs go on a litle farther Surely the very heathen wise meÌ„ albeit they were destitute of that knowledge which more plentifully is ministred by the word of God Yet woonder it is to consider howe farre then were hable to set their foote hauing noâ—â— other lightâ— to guide them buâ—â—he very power of reason and common sense Especially touching this matter the disputing and reasoning of Chrysippus is well woorthy to be waâ—ed Who being meruailously sharp witted as Tullie sayeth handleth this case in suche a sorte that he semeth to haue learned it of natures selfe and not to haue inuented it of hys owne braine For sayeth he if there be any thing in the world that mannes wit reason and power cannot compasse that thing surely that dothe compasse it is better than man But the Angels the starres in the firmament and the Planets wyth all such things as moue continually in their course can not be wrought by any man That thing therefore whereby they are wrought is better than man And that by what name should I rather cal it by than by the name of God And by and by after going forward if thou behold saith he a goodly portly great house although thou sée not the Maister of it yet canste thou not be made to beléeue that it was builded of Mise and Rattes And shouldest thou not séeme to be starke madde if so great furniture of the worlde suche great varietie beautie and comelynesse of things in heauen suche a largenesse and hugenesse of the sea and lande thou shouldest wéene to be thy house and not the house of the immortall God You sée the drift of the
remayning still notwithstanding the redemption of our sauiour Chryste and that euen to the regenerate Now so lōg as death is not yet throughly swallowed vp neither shal the sting of death which is sinne be vtterly remoued or putte away for the effecte continuing in his full force it is necessarily to bée presupposed that the cause wente before Not that this temporall resolution of oure soules and bodies the one from the other is precisely absolutely wroughte by oure sinne the rewarde whereof is rather a deathe that is euerlasting or that it abideth as a punishment that the godly suffer for the same but that sinne and deathe bée so ioyntly conioyned together that so long as the one of them taketh place the other by the course of Gods ordinaunce can not of necessiti◠be far of Suche deare affinitie there is betwixt them and such straight cosinage and alliaunce Nowe where sinne is there also is bondage as Saincte Peter telleth vs in playne wordes And where bondage is residente there truely canne be no tarrying for fréewill Where then is become at laste the fréedome of oure renued nature The harde necessitie whereof as Saincte Augustine tearmeth it precéedeth from none other fountayne or spring than the offence and trespasse of oure father Adam Surely where so euer it be if it be any as I denye not altogither but that it is this I must nedes say of it it is maimed it is mangled it is muche defaced with the remaining relikes of oure olde man. But let it be hardly what they will for what dothe Gods Prouidence anoy it Hath it a natural possibilitie wherby we can doe the workes of nature eate drinke walke and talke and suche like Let it haue so still Yet though will also be ioyned with our power oftentimes euen in suche things we come to shorte How many lustie and strong men haue appoynted on this or that day to take such or such a viage when such occasiōs sodainly haue fallen out by the will and prouidence of God that they were faine to alter their minde and tary at home Howe many haue bene on their iourney to goe this or that way and were preuented The king of Babilon purposed to inuade the Moabites yea he purposed it not only but he now made thitherward with all his power And yet euen in the midst of his iourney God tourned him an otherway and caused him to come against Ierusalem Wherupon the Prophete Ieremie crying oute I knovve Lorde sayeth hée that mannes vvaye is not his ovvne neyther is it in man to gouerne or to directe his ovvne steps And Salomon very agréeably vnto the same sayeth in déede that mannes hearte aduiseth him of the vvay vvhither he vvill go but that God guideth his steppes notvvithstanding How many purpose to do this or that which their strengthe serueth them to doe very well and yet are letted The Prophet Balaam being sent for by Balac the king of the Moabites was minded more than once to haue curssed the people of Israell But when it came to the poynte he confesseth himselfe that he coulde not no though the king would giue him an house full of siluer and gold Why then chaunceth all this For that oure will is compelled by violence No not so For so voluntary a thing is oure will that if it be forced to any thing it is no more a will. Therefore thus Austine defineth it Voluntas est animi motus cogente nullo ad aliquid vel non amittendum vel adipiscendum That is to saye Will is a mouing of the minde without compulsion either to saue or else to get somewhat Haue we also a strengthe naturall in ciuile actions pertaining to outwarde conuersation Wel may we so haue for any foraine force Yet the very Heathen men coulde say this that if mankinde haue any vnderstanding faythe vertue or concorde they coulde be povvred vpon the earthe from no vvhere else but from aboue Whereby what else doe they declare but that nature of it selfe is noughte else but a barraine soyle vtterly vnhable to yéelde fruite if the dewe of grace comming from heauen wyth hys wholesome licoure doe not moysten it Is there say they in oure refourmed nature a certaine libertie and fréedome to doe things acceptable in Gods sight I will not stand héere to alleage the falles and frailties of Goddes children nor shewe how little they are able to satisfie from pointe to pointe the comaundementes and lawes of God nor proue that euen after their regeneration they are yet by the consent of graue fathers like the soyled cloth of a woman in hir flowers All this and more to I will let alone nay I will graunte vnto thē rather of mine own accord the by faith in Chirst Iesus our workes be accepted in very déede yea moreouer that they vs ghostly holy and pure sacrifices which must be offered and dedicated vnto god For it liketh me not nowe to dispute with them in that But this will I say and say againe what so euer possibilitie we haue either in déedes naturall or morall or in actiōs which spring from faithe and be spirituall Gods Prouidence hurteth it not at all The propertie wherof is such that it conducteth vs alwayes as it were by the hand and driueth nothing by violence againste nature Therefore aliter agunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one maner of mouing haue those things that be voide of choice an other kinde of mouing haue those things that be moued of their owne arbitrement And both of them in déede serue Gods ordinance but yet not bothe after one sorte Stickes stones can not stir to or fro but a violent hande must first moue thē Therefore in them the similitude that Chrysippus vseth in the defence of destiny may take holde to witte of a roller that is caste downe a stéepe hill which althoughe it begin not to goe downe voluntarily at the first yet afterwards the swift tumbling of it downewardes is to be ascribed saith he to the roundnesse of the proportion after the which it is framed But men and reasonable creatures haue an inwarde motion of their owne not moued by compulsion as such senselesse things be but of their frée choice deliberation Neither is it consequent as Austine setteth it out very wel that if the order of all causes be certaine to God therefore nothing should be in oure fréewill For euen our wils themselues be amongste the order of those causes which be certaine to God and comprehended by his for knowledge in as much as mennes willes be also the causes of mennes woorkes Therfore it is so farre off that our willes should be excluded in this case that contrarywise I take them to be the very instruments whereby the will of God woorkes The .iij. Chapter God is not the author of sinne ANd hitherto we are burdened but as iniurious to man This accusation
be stirred vp to the slaughter of him with hatred bicause peraduenture he was his enimie whom he is about to dispatche out of the way then can he not chose before God but he must nedes be gyltie of his death So we sée the the same worke as it may be considered in two seuerall respects is bothe a good worke and it is faultie also and one way to be done laudably an other way with blame and shame inoughe Euen so wée say of God who althoughe hée worke all thinges willingly whyche be done in the worlde yet dothe he not all thinges with the same mynde as peraduenture do some of his instrumēts by whom he worketh neither willeth them to be done with the same intente which maketh Gods works to be prayse worthy mans doinges oftentimes to be nothing so Thus farre I haue trauelled metely wel in loasing this same knot of Gordius I say in discussing such a doubtfull and harde poynt as being let alone might peraduēture rather haue woūded a weake conscience than haue any thing edified the reader Yet if this that is sayde be not sufficient I dare vndertake that S. Austine might supply the rest He in his Enchiridion furnishing vs very handsomly with a feate example Presuppose sayth he that an vntovvard child vvish the death of his father vvhom god also vvould haue to dye In this case vve see God and the vnthrifty childe vvil in dede both one thing namely the death of the man But is this naughtie sonne therefore to be allovved No. For God and he vvilled it not bothe after one sorte For the vnthriftie sonne vvilleth it to enioy his fathers goods God vvilleth it to ridde him out of miserie if he be of the elect or to giue him due punishment in case he be othervvise By this it appeareth howe vaine and foolishe their talke is that come in with suche fonde obiections If a théefe be the minister of Gods will why finde wée faulte with him if a murtherer execute Gods iudgements why is he not rewarded for truely the aunswere is soone made Their meaning was not say I as Gods was Whose will and pleasure if they had so greatly desired to satisfie why followed they rather that their frowarde and desperate inclination than Gods will reueled in his worde Hereby also we may learne what to aunswere them which will obiect Gods hatred agaynst sinne and suche as be delighted with a naughtie life saying If God stirre vp sinners to doo euill and make them vessels of reproche howe can he hate them or their sinnes and not rather loue them and make muche of them For he hateth nothing of those things which he made Sa. 12. To this Austine replieth writing ad Simplicianū after this maner as it foloweth VVheras God of the number of the wicked whom he doth not iustifie maketh vesselles seruing to reproche he hateth not in them that which he made for asfarfoorthe as they be wicked they be odible in hys sighte But as farfoorth as they be vessels they be made to some vse that by the punishement that is ordeyned for them the vesselles which be made to honoure may take profite Therefore God hateth not the vessels of reproch neither as they be men nor as they be vessels That is to say neither that which he made in them by creating nor that which he dothe in them by ordayning For he hateth nothing of those things that he made But yet that he maketh them vessels of perdition he dothe it for this vse that other may be corrected For he hateth wickednesse in them which was not of his making And as a Iudge hateth thefte in a man but he hateth not his punishment that he is condemned to a minepitte to digge for metall for the thefte was of the theeues dooing the punishement the Iudges appoynting So God whereas he maketh vessels of perdition of the dough of the wicked he hateth not that whiche he maketh that is to say the worke of his casting them away that perish in such paynes as are due vnto them whereby suche as he hath mercy vppon finde occasion ministred vnto them of saluation So it was sayde to Pharao For this purpose haue I styrred thee vp that I may shevve my povver vppon thee and that my name mighte be spoken of throughout all the earth This shewing foorth of Gods power this bruting of his name throughout al the earth helpeth to make them to stande in awe and to seeke the reformation of their owne wayes vnto vvhome suche an effectuall callyng appertayneth So sayth Austine whereby it is manefystly shewed that the worke and the deformitie of the worke be not all one So then that acte which in some respect is a sinne namely for that it erreth from Gods lawe tendeth not to that end which it ought to leuell at and moreouer fayleth of that due perfection y might iustly be required in it That act I say which is a sinne and is wroughte as Holcotte writeth vpon the booke of wisdome both by God and man after some sorte on Gods behalfe by whome mans hydden malice is only caused to come foorth like an adder that is pulled oute of his hole is done iustly and therefore it hath not in it the nature of sinne so farre foorthe as it is done of god But as it is done by man it is done vniustly and therfore as it is wrought by him it may properly bee called sinne And for this cause according to Austines minde God is not the author of sinne bicause although that thing whiche is a sinne is done of God yet for any thing that God dothe in it it is no sinne Hitherto Holcote some what obscurely in déede but yet not without a good reason For although the déede it selfe that is nought commeth of God yet this noughtinesse that is in it can not iustly be layde to Gods charge Who maketh bothe the worke and the man that dothe it to serue his moste holy and vnblamed purpose Vnnaturall therefore and vngodly was the dealing of Iosephs brethren that made sale of their brother Ioseph and woulde sende him into forrein countreys good and gracious was Gods doing that so well could vse these his wicked instrumenets séeking nothyng but their brothers hinderaunce not onely to his highpreferment but also to the relieuing both of them and their good olde father and generally for the sustenance of all the coastes rounde about him Wickedly doubtlesse did Pharao that so cruelly entreated Gods owne people the Israelites iustly and mercifully dealed God who not onely ouerwhelmed bothe him and all his horsemen and chariots in the redde sea but mightily deliuered them out of his handes whom he so maliciously pursued Moste traiterously and villanously did Iudas that deliuered vp his master to the Iewes his extreme foes moste louingly and bountifully did God who spared not his owne onely sonne but gaue him vp into their hands for oure benefite Finally to let other
few wordes aske one question or two of this Disputer Can will which is the power of reason not only dependeth of appetite which we haue cōmon with brute beastes be seuered or sequestred from election Or can there be an election where no choyce is offered or can there be a choyce offered where there is no consultation Surely no. For either good or bad counsell goeth before all our voluntarie actiōs And voluntarie actions I call those wherin reason dealeth and not onely the appetit◠hathe to doe Whereof it commeth that whatsoeuer is done of ignorance or only vpon a braide of minde by the Philophers iudgemente is not voluntarie Which in case it were otherwise to be determined then brute creatures also which are caryed away headlong wyth their sensuall mouings mighte be sayde to haue voluntarie actions than the which there is nothing that can sounde more oute of course To retourne then to the poynt wherupon I stand if mannes will doe not therefore sustaine hinderance or dāmage for that it is ruled by Gods neither is counsell and aduisement-taking without the which our frée wil can not hold by the same reason abolished and pulled away Still therefore it continueth who can say nay how so euer that at sometimes it take no place For true it is that is sayde of the wise Salomon The hearte of man aduiseth him selfe of his vvay notvvithstanding that God doth directe his steppes Yea what sayd I it continueth nay it serueth to the executing of Gods counsell also For to what other effecte tended the aduise that Iudas gaue his brethren as the Ismaelites came soiourning by them when he brake out sodenly into these woordes VVhat vvere vvee the better to kill oure brother and aftervvardes to hide his bloudshed Come let vs sell him to the Ismaelites and let vs not staine our hands vvith such a fovvle acte for he is our brother and of oure fleshe Whose woords when his brethren hard well liked they straighte wayes made their marchandise of their brother Ioseph which was the onely occasion that he came into Egypt The counsell which the yonger sorte gaue Roboam in the. 12. chapter of the thirde booke of kings was a meane that afterwardes Gods decrée was executed against him disdaining to giue eare to the people The counsell of Chusai was preferred of Absalon before the aduise of Achitophel and why The reason is giuen in the. 7. chap. of the 2. booke of the kings The Lord forsooth had ordained the Chusai his persuasions preuailing Achitophel with his instructions shuld not be heard to the intent the Lorde mighte bring euill vpon Absalon Great consultations hadde the Iewes Scribes and Pharisies deliberating to put Christe to deathe least the Romanes should come vppon them and take from them their Empire wherby vnwitting and vnknowing what else were they but instrumēts of gods decre I let other exāples passe séeing these are sufficiente to serue our tourne So then if God worke by our counselles howe be they against his Prouidence if they be not againste his prouidence why may not they stand with it But no counsel can serue if God haue appointed otherwise What then Neither is it thy part to desire that thy counsell should prosper against god Folowe thou thy docation doe thy duetie consulte and be aduised as God shall put it into thy minde In the meane time stand not so in thine owne conceite that thou shouldest prefer the counselles of thine heade before Gods. But to what purpose should we studie to preuent a mischéeue Or desire the Surgeons and Physitions helpe if our state depend wholy vpō Gods wil Suche an other idle reason was muche made of amongst certayne Sophistes that disputed of destinie in times paste which S. Origen rehearseth in his seconde booke contra Celsum One going about to persuade a sicke man not to seeke helpe of the Physitiō reasoneth the matter with him in this maner It is concluded by destinie long before that either you shall recouer your healthe or no. If it be your destinie to recouer you haue no nede of the Physition if it be not your destinie the Physition can helpe you nothing An other also dissuadeth his friend by a lyke argument from mariage But what answere nowe made they that defended destinie They faygned the sicke man thus to inuerte the argumente yes mary answering agayne if it be my destinie to escape my maladie I will send for the Physition bicause he professeth to heale them that be sicke that by his meanes I may haue that which destinie hath decréed The other that was dehorted frō entring into wedlocke they imagined thus to wreste his friendes argument out of his hande If it be my destinie to haue children bicause that can not otherwise be broughte to passe than by the copulation of the male and the female I will the rather marrie a wife that my destiny may agreably take his place Thus we sée how that they also which supported destinie and wrapt all things in the necessitie of the seconde causes yet dealed not with vs in suche sorte that they excluded the meanes whereby that which was fatall came to passe No surely it neuer came into their mindes to be so fonde For euen Tullie in hys booke de Fato alleaging this very same argument which was made to the sickeman bringeth in Chrysippus the Philosopher finding faulte with it and refelling the vanitie of it with this distinction For sayth he in all fatall chaunces some thinges there be that are simply determined without any condition that is annexed and some things there be that be so linked to their causes that the one can not be without the other As for example this is destinie without concondition Such a day Socrates shall dye Therfore to this mā whether he do any thing to hasten his destinie or leaue it vndone in this sentence afore going his dying day is precisely without any addition foreappoynted But if the sentence of destinie be thus Oedipus shall beget Laius it can not be sayde whether he cōpany with a woman or no. For this company-kéeping is a thing the is necessarily annexed to it and as you would say alike fatally conioyned So in like maner sayth he if a body should tell before that it shuld be Milo his destinie to wrastle in the games of Olympia an other would conclude vppon it Ergo whether he haue an aduersarie or no aduersarie it will be his destinie to wrastle hée shoulde conclude but fondly For thys clause It shall bee his destinie to wrastle hath a relation to an other thing that is annexed For withoute an aduersarie no man can wrastle Therefore all suche captious as these bée are confuted after a lyke maner And by and by he bringeth in the reason made to the sickeman before rehersed out of Origene If it be thy destinie whether thou cal for the Phisition or no thou shalte recouer saying that it is a captious
that thy barnes shall be filled with abundaunce and thy presses shall burst with newe wine Who trembleth at the voyce of God him selfe complayning that through haynous sacriledge he is robbed and spoyled of hys owne right And yet not onely maketh he ample and large behestes but O Iesu how fearfully also dothe he thunder as it were with his dreadful manaces and threats VVyll a man spoyle sayth he his Gods yet haue ye spoyled me But ye say wherein haue we spoyled thee in tythes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse for ye haue spoyled me euen this whole nation Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house proue me now here with sayth the Lord of hostes if I wil not opeÌ„ the windows of heaueÌ„ vnto you poure you out a blessing without mesure And I will rebuke the deuourer for your sakes he shal not destroy the fruit of your ground neither shal your vine be bareyn in the fielde sayth the Lorde of hostes And all nations shall cal you blessed for ye shall be a pleasaunt lande sayth the Lorde of hostes Whiles then we withdraw that that is due to the Elder of the congregation God accepteth it none otherwise than as an iniurie done to his owne selfe and that no small iniurie neither but as it liketh himselfe to name it a playne robberie and a spoyle And shall we hencefoorth make light of it Shall we fraudulently with Ananias and Saphira conueay from Gods faythfull minister the iuste fruite and gayne of his deserued labour If ye will fullie refuse neglecting good customes and constitutions that are made agreably to Gods will beware I pray you what ye do For if Gods heauy curse do not pull you sodaynely all bare take héede yet to the caterpiller and the locusse and be ye well aduised of the priuie théefe But what of this will some one say for whatsoeuer you haue said hitherto it may be al blowen away with one blast The lawe made for tenthes was ceremoniall Why so For the number of tenne will he say béeing the perfitest number whiles we kéepe nine partes to our selues and giue God the tenthe we protest by this very acte our weaknesse and imperfection ascribing al perfitnesse to God alone So the rest of the Sabboth day signifieth partly that we should reste from sinne that the workes of our owne corruption beeing expelled Gods owne operation and working might take place in vs the more effectually and partely also it betokeneth our rest from al worldly miseries and that quiet hauen of al blessednesse which we shall eniey with God in the worlde to come But what of that will I agayne say Should we not therfore come to the Churche vppon euery Sunday being the seuenth day forbearing al worldly labours the better to apply our selues to Gods seruice But it is ceremonial he sayth surely al things signifying mulle not by by be so taken as ceremonial And if they be shal there no remnaunt of them be remayning shall they foorthwith be dashed out quite and cleane The Israelites hadde water no doubte when they were baptysed as Saincte Paule sayth in a cloude and in the sea shall therefore the elemente of water be condemned as Iewishe in oure Baptisme they had their shewebreade which signified our Sauiour Chryste shoulde we therefore reiecte the vse of bread in the reuerende Sacrament of Christes bodie No not so For the creatures them selues be not abolished but the guyse and maner of their obseruaunce Euen so say I the seuenth day it selfe we will kéepe still and tenthes we will retaine for the vse of the church But yet in the order of our obseruation we will not in all respects follow the trade of the Iewes but we wil do as that spirit doth guyde vs wherby Christ ruleth the congregation Admit they be ceremoniall in some sorte yet doubtlesse absolutely they be not For the celebration of the Sabboth was not onely ordeyned for this ende that it might be a figure of that spirituall rest afore mentioned but there be two causes beside The one was that there mighte be a daye assigned wherein the people mighte come togither to heare the lawe and to do other dueties there requisite of Gods seruaunts The other was that seruaunts liuing vnder the obedience of their masters might haue a vacant time from their labour for their honest godly recreation Therefore figuratiuely and Iudaically we wil no more obserue the Sabboth day yet of euery seuen dayes in the weke wil we picke out one for our assemblies wherin we will méete togither to heare Gods worde to ioyne in hartie prayer to almightie God and to receaue the holy Sacraments according to our Lords institution Yea and we will cause our seruaunts whole familie to do the same All this is morall and appertayneth to our ciuill dutie In respecte wherof we should not without muche impietie let it slippe That which I speake concerning the Sabboth might be sayd in like maner of the tenthes which were giuen in the old lawe For as they signified oure imperfection the supplying whereof they looked for by the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Chryste we will not meddle nor deale with them in any wyse But surely yet there be other causes wherfore they were bothe admitted by decrées and counsayles at the firste and we that come nowe in this latter age coulde not without greate disorder yea I mighte say also greate wante of a due and sober consideration of our own priuate authoritie caste them off For truely of their ceremoniall meanyng which some vrge in the scriptures of the olde and newe Testamente I reade vtterly nothing that they shoulde be instituted of God hym selfe for the reliefe of hys Priestes and Ministers that euen he him selfe testifieth in the place of Malachie before rehearsed saying Bryng ye all the tythes into the store-house THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT IN MYNE HOVSE Whiche cause of their institution remayning still why tithes as the effecte of the same cause shoulde not stande likewise in force I can not see Sure I am of this eue by the doctrine of S. Paule that God now hath as great regarde to the good state of the ministerie as euer he had at any time to the Leuiticall Priesthoode if not nowe also therfore the greater the more excellent our office is aboue that of the Leuites But the Ministers may now haue the tenthes no longer By what scripture proue ye that Truely oure Sauioure Chryst rebuking very bitterly the Scribes and Pharisies for béeing so precise in their tithe-gathering whereas they passed not vppon greater mattiers seemeth to say no such thing For contrarywise he concludeth rather with these wordes These things ought ye to haue done and not to haue left the other And S. Austine purposely making a sermond de â—eddendis decimis alleageth in the defense of tythes the very